


A Fair City's Pride

by KataraTakaran



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Animal Transformation, Drugs, Everyone else Is Gay or varying degrees thereof, F/M, Hes got fireballs n shit, Hunk is the token straight, Ive been adding pix, Keith is a witch but not the modern kind, M/M, Multi, No Space, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, The Sex is described, Were-Creatures, Were-cats, broganes, casual nudity, i guess i should tage drugs?, the paladins are the lions, there is at least one weed in here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-09-09 18:46:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8907778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KataraTakaran/pseuds/KataraTakaran
Summary: It was said that the twin mountains watching over Fair City were cursed. When the moon was at its fattest, anyone who ventured into the thickly forested peaks would vanish. Of course, that was only after dark, so Lance felt safe to go for a walk. Holy fuck was he wrong.





	1. He Scream (At Own Ass)

Lance woke suddenly, and without fanfare. He was staring at the wood of a wall he’d never seen before, and though it was soaked through with his drool, the pillow under his head wasn’t his either. He counted himself lucky it was not feather-stuffed, and sat up.

His back protested the movement. But he needed to be upright. The room was dim, lit only by a fire in the room over. He could make out plants hanging from the roof. There was a window across from him, but it was covered with something thick. No lick of light filtered through to betray the time of day.

He set his feet on the floor. It was covered by a roughly woven mat. Straw, or maybe grass, he thought. Either way, it was less than pleasant on his bare toes. He realized about then that he was very, very much naked. He gathered the thick, cabled blanket to himself as he did the only conceivable thing.

His screaming elicited a yelp, followed by a sudden flood of swears, and the clatter of heavy objects hitting dishware. Something broke. Lance wrapped himself tighter in the blanket, as he pressed against the wall, and continued his cacophony.

“Holy hell, shut up! You’re fine!” A young man entered the room, fumbling through the dark. “You’re okay, buddy! You’re safe! Calm your shit!” He took Lance’s face, not unkindly. “Calm down, I can explain if you shut it with the racket!”

“Why am I naked? Who are you? Where am I? How did I get here?!” Lance demanded immediately. At the top of his lungs.

“You can’t put pants on while unconscious. Keith. My house. I carried you.” He answered in short order. “I’ll find you some sweats, please find your chill.”

Lance faltered, then stopped entirely. Okay. That was reasonable. Keith stumbled out of the room, and returned shortly with a small, hand-cranked flashlight. He dug through a dresser that Lance had not seen before, and quickly produced a pair of plain grey sweatpants. Lance caught the pants when he was tossed them, and put them on as Keith left the room. In the better light of the flashlight, he could see that there were a multitude of things drying as they hung from the ceiling. Nothing he could identify.

Once he was garbed in more than just confidence, he followed Keith from the room. The next room over was also dark, except for the roaring fire. There were no plants hanging from the ceiling, but several types of cured meat did. Most of the walls were covered in precariously stacked books, ornamented with the occasional bobble or, more frequently, dishes. He spotted the cup that had broken in a landslide of leather-bound books and a half-eaten sandwich, next to an easy-chair that was wrapped in enough blankets to pass for a bed.

Keith himself stood next to the fire, swearing softly as he tried to rescue his pot’s contents, while another pot bubbled happily beside it. Lance thought there might have been a table at one point in here, but it was too buried in books and a large washtub to tell in the low lighting.

There was a window next to the door – it exposed the late evening. He could make out a few far peaks, so he could only assume he was somewhere on a mountainside, facing south since he couldn’t see the glow of any city or highway.

“So... where am I? How’d I end up here?” In better lighting, and relative calm, Keith almost looked familiar.

He sighed into his pot, and pulled it from the fire. “What’s... What’s the last thing you remember?”

“I was going for a walk, on Desert Mountain. I got side-tracked, next thing I knew it was already dark out.” He considered. “I waited for the moonrise to finish my decent, so I didn’t fucking die. And then... I woke up here?”

“What day was that?”

“May 10th.”

“Well, starting back then. I believe you fell. While you were unconscious, something tried to take a bite out of you.” He motioned for Lance to take a seat on a wooden stool he hadn’t seen before. He swallowed hard when the other rolled up his pant-leg to expose a red scar. It was very angry still, but completely healed for the most part. Something had succeeded at taking a chunk out of him.

“Jesus.” He swore.

“Mm. I found you while patrolling the path. I managed to get you here, but it was a struggle.” Keith patted the wound gently. It was painless, thankfully. “Stitched you up. It’s the 7th of June, now. I haven’t had a chance to go down the mountain yet to let someone know I found you.”

“I was unconscious for like, 20 days?” Lance pushed his hair back.

“Yeah. There’s no signal up here, so even if I had a phone, I couldn’t’ve called for help. Sorry if people are panicking. What’s your name, by the way?”

“ _I_ am Lance McClain. Only just the best pilot to come out of this shitty mountain town! Everyone knows my name.”

“Mm. Doesn’t ring any bells.” He stood, and pulled a couple mugs free of his books. He freed the still bubbling pot of its heat.

“What are you, the mountain hermit?” Lance scoffed.

“Probably.” Keith wouldn’t be surprised.

“ _You’re_ the mountain hermit, Kogane?”

“Keith Kogane, at your service.” He definitely wasn’t surprised. He offered a mug of soup amicably. “Eat, you’ve been under a long-ass time.”

“I- yeah. I have.” How was he not dead?

Where was his family? He was missing 26 days, they should have scoured half the mountain range at this point? They definitely would have called up Keith, one way or another.

But he accepted the soup, sipping at the spiced broth.

Keith let him mull. He had his own thoughts. He’d pulled the stitches only hours ago. His leg had been black and blue with bruising, and the scars only just healed. There should still be plenty left to heal.

Instead, his guest had a leg that looked like it had seen 6 months of uninterrupted healing. And in the course of a nap. He hated having hunches.

Lance was put back to bed, after showing him the bathroom (Read: outhouse). A few more days wouldn’t hurt his family any more, and he really shouldn’t be on his leg very much. In the course of walking to the shit-shed and back, it had swelled up and started complaining.

He was asleep far faster than he thought he would be, considering his 20+ day nap. Keith didn’t dare say anything until he was snoring against his pillow again.

A little dose of Datura. It was worth its weight in gold, it was. Keith scribbled himself a note – he would need a headache remedy for the poor guy later. For now, he had 12 hours to get other things in order.


	2. Migraine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A smol violence in this chappy

Lance woke up with a blinding migraine, to a very gentle voice. “Shh,” He pleaded, and even that was too loud to handle. Smooth hands took his chin gently. He really didn’t have the energy to fight, so he didn’t. He let a cool liquid be poured down his throat.

Within a few minutes – Jesus why was his pulse so loud – his head started to cool. It helped that the room was dark. He could eventually open his eyes, and look up at his Saviour. It was just Keith. His cup had been refilled. Lance accepted the water eagerly.

“Are you okay now?”

“Better. Not trying the sun yet though.” Keith nodded. The dark room seemed less dark than usual, so maybe it was daytime, now?

“That’s fair.” Keith seemed distracted. “I have to go rescue something from the fire, it may get a little loud. Fair warning.” He stood.

“Mmkay.” Lance nodded. He was content with water and darkness. Keith could be heard in the next room, muttering in some foreign language as he cooked. Whatever he was making smelled pretty bad. Maybe it was glue or something? He didn’t know, he just bought glue.

He tested his leg while he waited on his head. It seemed better than yesterday, even. The redness had gone way down. Magic Hermit Medicine, he could only imagine.

“Okay.” Keith returned, quite suddenly, a very small glass in his fingers. “This is very hot, and very foul. But I’m going to ask you to drink it anyways. It’ll help your head, and any pain in your leg.”

Lance set aside his water, and accepted the vial with a cringe. It was worse up close. He took back everything he’d thought about hermit magic.

But Keith had only helped thus far. He could only imagine that this was legit. Foul and effective were often seen together in the best medicines.

He choked it down, and immediately needed his water again. Bad medicine was bad. Keith nodded, taking back the cup. He understood the effort.

“Pleh.” Lance added for extra emphasis on what he thought.

“I’m aware.” Keith’s smug little smile was just as bad as the drink. “But I did warn you.” He wandered off again; the chink of glassware on glassware didn’t hurt. After a few more minutes of darkness and introspection, Lance followed.

The sun gleamed out in its early afternoon glory, bright on the early summer grass. Lance could see clearly now, that he was on the face of Desert Mountain’s twin peak, Ocean Mountain. They were cleaved in half by a tumbling waterfall, and could he see due west, the city would be visible many kilometres away and down. Further than a skimpy kid like Keith could drag his ass, never-mind when he needed medical attention. Ocean Mountain was the black diamond to Desert Mountain’s bunny hill.

It would be a hell of a walk.

“Do I still have shoes?”

“Yeah.” Keith pointed to a box beside the door. His sneakers were no longer blue, though. “You... bled. A lot. Most of your lower half’s worth of clothes wasn’t salvageable. Your jacket’s okay, though.”

“Gross.” Lance made a face. But in truth, his jacket was decently okay. His mother might be able to rid it of the stains later. The shoes were sturdy, if a disgusting lost cause.

“I washed them.” Keith defended himself.

“You did, thanks. Missed a few spots. But I can imagine there were more pressing things on your mind.”

He earned a shrug. He returned it, and shrugged into his jacket. His shoes went on. They felt so weird without socks. ‘Properly’ dressed, he let himself out.

The sun felt so good. He just wanted to lay down and take a nap. But he had places to go. Keith appeared in the doorway behind him.

“Hope you’re not planning on taking the mountain yet.” Keith said.

“My Mom will overturn this mountain. Barehanded. Sheer force of will alone. I thank you for your hospitality, and all the help, but-”

“No.” Keith shook his head. “I’m not going to let you do that. I’ve got to go down in a few days for my usual supply run. If you can wait that long, I can get a ranger to drive, or fly up here, take you down safely.”

“Can you go down... sooner?”

“It’s unlucky to be alone up here when the moon is fattest. You’d be waiting until the gibbous to get a ride down anyways.”

His leg tingled at the words ‘unlucky’. He’d met the gentler mountain in the unlucky phase already, his gut told him. This one would surely kill him. “Superstitious much?” he jibed, to hide his own discomfort.

“I live alone on the side of the mountain. I’ll take all I can get.” Keith deadpanned. “Also there’s a puma and her cubs downhill from here. They’re used to me. They’ll eat you alive.”

“I can take a mountain lion! Lemme at ‘er! The old, one-two switch!” He mimed his fighting. “Hya!” He tried to kick, but just fell over. His leg ached dully.

“I can’t believe Lance McClain was killed by a gust of wind.” Keith sighed. “Sure are spirited for guy who died of a migraine this morning and spent a month in bed.”

“I feel loads better now, even if the taste is still in my mouth. What was is that, anyways?”

“Mmmmmint?” Keith offered.

“...Gross.” Lance accepted that very unacceptable answer. He decided he didn’t want to know what Keith had labelled as mint. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he found a grin. There were things still in his pockets.

His wallet was still on him. Five sticks of gum, a dead iPod. He hadn’t been relieved of most of his goods yet! Which meant!

Keith started as Lance pulled a cell from a deep inner pocket. It wasn’t exactly new – looked like a spare – but it was on him. And it turned on when he prompted it to.

“What the hell, Keith, there’s like a billion bars. Oh wait, you don’t have a phone do you, hold o- KEITH-!” Lance went down, hard, as Keith collided with him. He took a sharp slap that left him dizzy for a second. In return, Keith would sport a few chest bruises, but he took the trade, and the phone.


	3. Banter

“Keith, what the hell?!” Lance demanded, rubbing his jaw.

“You. Are not. Leaving. This mountain. Not until the moon is over.” Keith snapped. Lance froze under him, blood turning to ice in his gut.

“What, am I a virgin sacrifice for some hermit ritual? I’ll have you know-”

“No.” Keith shut that down.

“I do not consent to being a sex slave!”

“Absolutely not.”

“Planning on upright murder for some nice human munch-”

“Shut up for a second!” Keith snapped. Lance froze. There was the sound of the river and the falls. Some mountain goat screaming. The blades of a chopper. “Up, up!” He was hoisted to his feet, and emptied into the cabin before the chopper cleared the curve of the mountain.

Lance hissed – he’d landed on something hard. His head was ringing again. He could vaguely hear talking. His hand was bleeding. He’d nicked a book too hard, probably. The pounding of the chopper leaving roused him the most.

But Keith was in the way of the only exit.

“Sorry.” As hard as his tone was, it was still a sincere apology.

“The fuck, dude?” Anger was boiling up in him.

“Truth time.” Keith tried to soften his voice, and wasn’t altogether successful. “You will call me a lunatic at the end of this true time, and while trust me is a moot point now, trust me, okay? Okay.”

“More talking less pausing,” Lance urged.

“Familiar with werewolves? Excellent, of course you are, they’re all the rage lately. I’m like, 95% sure that you were bitten by a were-ling of some sort – maybe wolf, probably a lion – and I need to keep you here for observation until I can be 100% sure either way.” Keith ejected the information as fast as his tongue would allow. “It’s less hey I’m keeping you now, more medical-magical quarantine.”

“Yeah, okay, gimme my phone you fucking lunatic.”

“Sorry, gave it to the ranger that was dropping past to give me your description.”

“You’re fucking kidding me.”

“Sorry.” Keith grimaced. “I was going to do this gentler, when you started feeling the moonrise approach. When there was less than 5 hours to go.”

“You really are a cryptid-chasing lunatic; Ma was right.” Lance stated flatly. “Ma was right, and now I’m going to get killed by the crazy mountain hermit!” He was fast dissolving into hysteria.

“No! No, I will not kill you! Lance.” Keith snapped. “I will not kill you! And I can prove that were-stuff exists! That I have very just cause for a very real concern!”

“Hit me then! Whip out your wolf-man!” Lance snapped in return. Keith inhaled sharply, then buckled forward. Lance squeaked, as in a flurry of fur, hands became paws armed with massive claws. When Keith looked up again, his eyes were slitted and yellow. His previously pleasant face was contorted into a muzzle, coated in red and white fur. Round lion ears poked out from his dark hair, which was becoming an adolescent mane. Lance would put money on there being a tail somewhere behind the mass of red and white.

“That’s not a wolf-man.” he squeaked out a retort.

“I know.” His voice was oddly similar. “You’re not the only one who got a little nibbled on, then left for dead.” Keith let go of his anger relatively quickly. Lance was a little intimidated when he reared up on two legs, and offered a hand up. Paw. Whatever.

“I’m just trying to help.” He added, when Lance failed to accept his hand.

“Still a massive douche-canoe.” Lance stood himself up, brushing off his clothes. He grimaced when he smeared half-dried blood down his already stained jacket. His hand, right.

“Never denied it.” Keith shook himself, and in a moment, he was a human again. “So can I trust you to not try and escape, or am I going to have to play the bad guy, and tie you down?”

“I have no reason to trust you.”

“... If I’d wanted to kill, eat, sacrifice or fuck you without your consent, you were unconscious for like a month. I wouldn’t have waited. Or at least I’d have not let you wake up.” He offered weakly. “And if my suspicions are wrong, I’ll get you down the mountain as fast as I can. You’ll never see me again.”

“I’m getting Mama to press fucking charges you piece of shit.”

“That’s your right.” Keith nodded.

“And I’m going to spend the rest of the day breaking out.”

“Okay.”

“And I will break everything I can.” He pointedly knocked a nearby book into the nearby fire. Keith released a long suffering sigh, and snapped his fingers. The fire vanished instantly, to Lance’s surprise. The book was barely singed. It was very dark in here without that blaze going.

“Please don’t try my patience.” Keith opened his palm, and a fireball exploded into existence above it. Lance stumbled backwards, only to nearly fall into the still-warm hearth. At least he could see with relative ease again.

The day grew older as an uneasy peace was adopted. Lance started to feel something heavy weighing on his mind about mid-afternoon, but he was already grumpy. It didn’t make much difference. But when Keith stood, taking his fireball with him, his restraint snapped much quicker.

“Best not turn your back, mullet-boy.”

“Mullet boy? That’s the best you can do?”

“Shut up. I was threatening you!”

“Ya-huh. Cute.” He didn’t feel very threatened. He continued on his way. Lance felt his hackles rise, and his temper flair. He was moving before he really processed it, leaping at Keith’s exposed back as he left the cabin.

Only to get knocked down and pinned by someone much bigger. A tall being covered in black and grey fur and clothes, who bared razor teeth when he spoke.

“Keith, are you alright?” Lance did not appreciate being stepped on, or ignored. Keith put out his fireball with a weak smile.

“I’m fine. More annoyed than anything.”

“Who is this? Why were they attacking you?”

“This is Lance. Pretty sure he’s going to be a new cub.” Keith explained. Lance growled at the concept. Golden eyes studied him for a moment, before going dark brown.

“He’s a cub.” Fur and animal features receded quickly. “Did you explain?”

Lance swallowed hard as he recognized the one and only Captain Takashi Shirogane, Pilot extraordinaire and his hero. He was suddenly a lot more okay with being stepped on. There was a scar on his nose that wasn’t in the textbooks, and his hair was starting to grey out despite his young age, but it was the same man.

“I explained.” Keith sounded oddly defensive. Shirogane sighed softly.

“And that went as well as it usually does?”

“I’m not a hermit because I’m socially adept.”

“Okay. Lance, are you okay? I didn’t hurt you when I knocked you down?” He stepped off of the teen.

“Thank you for stepping on me, Captain, Sir!” He saluted weakly from the ground. “I am honoured, Sir.”

“Uh-”

“That came off as creepy.” Lance acknowledged, “I mean it, but I’m sorry, Captain, Sir.”

“Um, Stand Down, Officer- er... no, you’d be a cadet still. Stand down, Cadet.” Shirogane offered a hand up. “And yes, kind of creepy. But there are more important things to discuss. What did my brother tell you?”

“Just that I might turn into a wolf or lion beast-y tonight. Sir.” His brother? They looked nothing alike! They didn’t even have the same surname?

“At ease, please.” Shirogane smiled gently. It was a beautiful thing. “Call me Shiro. May I see the scar?”

“Um, yeah, sure?” Lance hoisted his pant-leg, exposing the red v-shaped scar. It marred his right leg highly visibly. Hopefully it would fade sooner rather than later.

Shiro motioned Keith closer, and rose his sleeve. On Keith’s right arm was a scar identical to Lance’s, if a little messier. “Yes, I would put money on that being from a Lion’s tooth.”

“So I’m being turned into a lion?” Lance dropped his pant-leg back over the scar. He could feel his gut turning to ice. It was one thing when he was told by a decidedly crazed hermit, another when he was told by a higher-ranking officer.

“That would be a fair assumption, especially if you apply basic werewolf lore to the concept. Every full moon, you’ll turn into a lion. And then you’ll turn back.” Shiro’s voice was soft and smooth. “It’s a scary concept, I know. But you won’t be alone.”

“I don’t want to be a lion.” he vocalized, barely.

“I understand that.” Shiro touched his shoulder gently. “But unfortunately, it’s too late to change it. We would if we could.”

“But why’d you choose me?” Lance “I’ve got- I’ve got plans. I’m going places. I’m going to be a fighter pilot just like you. I’m going to save the world.”

“It wasn’t our decision.” Shiro explained gently. “Would... could we beg a few cups of tea off of you, Keith?”

“Sure. There’s water in the pot over the fire. Fire’s lit again.” He snapped his fingers, and the cabin lit up from within. Shiro smiled fondly at that.

“You’re getting very good at that.”

“Can only light the house up so many times before it gets old.” Keith shrugged, and turned away. Lance saw the other teen blush at the praise. “I’ll be back in a couple minutes to set up some flavour of brew.”

“Thank you. Come on, Lance. So, basically.” Shiro led him back into the little cabin so that they could tend the fire, and talk in relative comfort. “A few years back, Keith was doing his year of solitary training.”

“He was approached by this guy named Zarkon, who demanded he come up with a cure for lycanthropy. Except, as you may be aware, Lycanthropy does not have a cure. It is a very versatile curse, which eludes even the best curse-breakers. However, it is possible to tame somewhat. Allow the cursed to retain their minds.

“Even though at the time Keith was not trained to work with herbs, he set out and taught himself a thing or 12. He spent a good month researching and making Zarkon a wolfsbane potion. But it’s not acceptable to this guy.

“So he bit Keith in a rage. Turns out he wasn’t a wolf-man, but a lion-man. When Keith continued to not provide, he started just biting other people who were on the mountain at night. Most we don’t find, unfortunately. We can only assume they’re dead, or they were taken by Zarkon.” Shiro had taken over Keith’s cozy-chair as he spoke, and Lance had taken the short wooden stool. “You’re the 5th one to be bitten, and found, if we count Keith and I.”

“... So he just runs around attacking people because he can?”

“Mm. Keith’s continued to work at it. His current Lions’ Bane is the most effective to date. But unfortunately, as far as we know, there isn’t a full on cure yet.”

“Shitty.” Lance huffed. He was gripping his knee right above the scar.

“One day it might not even taste bad. Or less bad. I can’t imagine it tasting good. But less bad.” Keith emptied a fistful of herbs into the simmering water, and pulled it away from the fire some. “Do you want your pain meds now or after dinner, Shiro?”

“After dinner.” Shiro smiled. “Now, Lance, onto tonight.”

“Do I want to know?” Lance whined. “Wouldn’t I fair better without time to work myself up?”

“Probably not. The idea is to go in as calm as possible.” Shiro traced the pattern on the chair’s arm. “We’ve found that, in the scheme of things, knowing what’s going to happen will help ease the anxiety.”

“... You say that like it isn’t that big of a deal.”

“I’ve done this 26 times. Shiro’s at 24 this month. It’s really not.” Keith commented from his pot.

“It’s more of a deal on your first couple runs, but it’s really nothing to worry about.” Shiro interjected. “You’re anxious as is. And that’s fine.”

“But-”

“Lance, all you have to remember is to breathe. Nothing will go wrong. You will not hurt anyone. We’re there to protect you.” Shiro stopped him. “It’s hard to, but do your best to relax. The Bane will take care of the worst of the aggression and pain.

“The more you fight the change, the more you fight the bane. So, while nigh on impossible, especially for a first timer, try your best to just let it happen.” Lance didn’t look particularly convinced. But there was less hostility as Keith pressed tea into his hands.

“I’m not going to feed you until after moonrise.” Keith stated. “It’ll save you blowing chunks.”

“... Thanks? I guess?” Lance sniffed his cup. It smelt fine, and when he sampled it, it was just ginger-flavoured. Something to settle his stomach, nothing more.

“You’re welcome.” Keith accepted the uncertain thanks less than gracefully.

Keith and Shiro huddled together, feeding themselves quickly, and as efficiently as they could. Only once Shiro'd finished the last of his soup was he allowed to accept a tightly rolled cigarette.

"Go watch for moonrise." Keith dismissed him.

"Thanks." Shiro nodded, and left the two younger ones to themselves.

Lance rubbed his jaw. "You were just trying to help. Sorry I was an ass or whatever." He murmured. He heard Keith sigh, rather than watch his expression.

"You're not the first to be a dickhead. You won't be the last." Keith stated.


	4. Merry kringlefuck 2 me readers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tranformation content 
> 
> Unrated and unedited - plz forgive

Shiro returned smelling of more than one type of grass. The later the day became, the sharper scents were becoming. All the herbs in the air were starting to stab at his nose. But Lance uttered no word of his discomfort.

"About 20 minutes." He announced, pulling his shirt off, and stowing it in the dresser.

Keith nodded, and stood. Lance could hear him pouring something into plastic cups not a minute later.

"You've got nothing to worry about." Shiro whispered, patting Lance's shoulder. "Just loosen the tie on your pants. They'll tear before they constrict you, but we do try to save clothes where we can."

"C'mon you two." Keith called, impatient. "They're waiting on us."

"Who?" Lance needed to know. Strangers. He did not like the idea of strangers when he couldn't control himself.

"Our pride. Soon to be yours as well, Lance, if you'll consent to join us. But give it a night before you answer, at least." Shiro smiled. It was such a reassuring, welcoming expression. Lance felt no fear under his guidance.

Well that was a lie - he was fucking terrified, and borderline in tears, but this man's smile was enough to contain himself, at least.

Keith locked the door behind them, hanging the key on a loose cord around his neck. He had changed from leather and cotton into a shapeless sack of a garment. It merely preserved his modesty, and looked about to fall apart.

There were two others in the field, now. A young person seated on a log, wearing a similar shift to Keith's. And a massive person who was currently just wrapped in a blanket, seated on a nearby rock.

Keith gathered up clothes that had been dropped wayside.

"So who are these douchebags?" Lance asked. The growing shadows hid them better than he'd like.

"These people are-"

"Lance!" The blanket rose sharply, and dashed forward. Lance fell under the collision. His voice was so familiar and a comfort.

"Hunk, oh my fucking god, you would not believe the day I have had-!"

"Lance you piece of shit we have been looking everywhere for you but I guess if Keith found you first that would explain a few things but we missed you we were so worried-!"

"And then this asshole decides to be coy with the information but It's okay I met my hero and -"

"Your mother is going to have a hernia if you don't send some word i'll do that I can do that for you you may be here a while-"

"And now they're saying something about giant cats and now i guess we're waiting on moonrise to be really sure but okay-"

"Don't worry, Lance." Hunk kissed both his cheeks. Lance kissed his in return. "You're in good hands, man."

"So are you two gayfriends or just-" the other stranger spoke.

"Bi for me, he's hella straight, and we're just bros." Lance shrugged. "La Bise." He patted Hunk's cheeks.

"Coulda just said la bise." They huffed.

"And you are?" Lance asked.

"Pidge."

Shiro watched the exchange fondly. So this was the Lance that Hunk spoke so fondly of. This would work out well, then.

"Drink time." Keith interrupted, providing the four of them with his foul drink. "Yes Lance, I know you had some earlier, and now you're getting more."

"Joy." Lance groaned. Hunk mimicked him, but shot back the shot as fast as he could instead of staring at it. Pidge, Shiro, and Keith did the same.

Lance tried, but he could not take shots to save his life.

He was left coughing and gagging, without water to help. Hunk just patted his back gently. They all knew.

By the time he calmed down, there was light on the horizon. The sun was gone for the day, so it was all the more noticeable. Shiro sat beside Pidge, and Keith beside Shiro. Lance was set beside Hunk, only for the time being.

Lance swallowed hard as the first slivers of the moon appeared above the horizon. It was a giant eye, just peaking over the edge, to stare at him.

He felt his blood turn to ice in his veins, felt his heart start to race. Something seemed to blossom in his chest, cold and prickling.

A hand took his shoulder, a voice very far away told him to relax. He shouldn't fight this. It ached, and itched and pinched, but it was okay.

It didn't feel okay, as muscles moved. His bones ground around deep inside him. Rearranging, growing and shrinking. A blistering point of heat as his spine doubled in length. Teeth snapping free, only to regrow in seconds, sharper and more dangerous.

There were more hands against him now, varying between soothing and restraining.

And then it was done. His body buzzed, and his breath came in short gasps, and his throat was raw from screaming and crying, but it wasn't changing anymore.

There was no one touching him, but he could hear them close by.

He fought to sit up. Nothing felt right. A soft whimper escaped his lips.

Hunk was murmuring something to Pidge, who was mostly bright green lion at this point. Hunk himself was in the process of growing a bright yellow pelt, but he was barely effected by it.

Keith sat next to him, meditating quietly with closed eyes. Shiro was watching Hunk and Pidge silently, his lone hand grasping his pant-leg. There was the start of a dark mane about his ears.

Lance watched as his breathing slowed. Soon enough, they were all lions, Shiro in blacks and greys, and Keith in vibrant red.

Lance looked down himself, and saw only snowy white. He was tiny, compared to the rest. The pants he'd worn before - a few sizes too large - were now a blanket under him. His paws were too big for his legs. There was a muzzle between his eyes.

It took a lot of effort to get a paw up to his face. He had a muzzle, with sharp teeth and a wet triangle nose, and whiskers. God, he had whiskers! And a tail!

It flicked in acknowledgement. Okay then. He squeaked when a larger muzzle entered his vision. Keith. That muzzle was Keith's.

A large, raspy tongue groomed his face a minute - ew - before he was lifted by his scruff. Lance protested, but couldn't do much about it. Keith followed the rest of the group, which was retreating into the tree line. There was a small cave hidden from view.

He was set down on the cool stone.

"There." Keith sat behind him. "That wasn't so bad."

"I-!" He fumbled over his mouth, "haf a few werbs for you!"

"Save them for later." Keith advised. "We're going to teach walking first."

"Fug you I gan walg." He pulled away, and tried to rise. His body did not want to be on two legs, but his head said fuck if he would walk on all fours like an animal. Hunk sniggered from where he lay comfortably.

Pidge approached on all fours, not a whole lot bigger than Lance. They were unsteady on their own feet, but they laughed at him regardless.

"Down on all fours, idiot!" They bumped into his side, throwing his balance for a second.

"Uh, no!" He pushed them away.

"Boo!" Hunk yelled, suddenly much closer. Both of them jumped, puffing up with fright.

He laughed as they shrieked, and harder as they retaliated. Pidge chewed his ear, tugging roughly. Lance flung himself against his stomach, growling. But tiny teeth and needle claws were ineffective against his thick pelt.

Hunk settled into a happy purr as he was mutilated by cubs. Shiro and Keith watched fondly.

Pidge eventually switched to attacking Lance, pouncing on him whenever he tried to stand on two, or talk his way free. He was soon growling and purring freely, chasing Pidge with determination.

Hunk had become a loaf, watching contentedly. Shiro hunkered down beside him, content to wait. Only Keith sat upright, waiting and watching.

Lance wasn't so worried, nor so scared when surrounded by the playful mood. He relaxed. Slow as molasses, something rose around his consciousness, filling in the blanks.

His steps got steadier. He wasn't fighting for control of a strange body.

"There he goes." Shiro purred. Keith laid down, a purr deep in his chest. They watched, as white fur took a pigment - a bright, royal blue. There was a tiny tuft of red mid-brow, and his blue eyes took on a familiar yellow light.

"Nice colour." Hunk grinned. Pidge licked his side where the new pigment had started.

 

 

* * *

The All-Growed-Up Version

[ ](http://oi66.tinypic.com/28hhqxl.jpg)


	5. Oh me oh my what a wonderful surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He swim but not v well
> 
> Was going to be longer but eh. Unrated uncut unedited ;)

Lance was just so small. Keith led the group up the mountain, as he usually did. Hunk fell in behind him, with Pidge dogging his steps. Lance trailed Hunk, but only because of his size.

Shiro pulled into last, content to let Keith lead. His shoulder protested the steep climb. But he didn't mention it, letting Lance dictate how far behind he fell.

There was a river that cascaded down the mountain. Every month they crossed the logs Keith had formed into a steady bridge. Lance hung back, sniffing at the wood uncertainly.

"It'll hold." Hunk assured from the far side of the water.

"It was making an awful racket, though!"

"It'll hold, come on." Keith huffed.

"If I die I'll haunt you forever!"

"Come on!" Pidge dug their claws into the wood impatiently.

Lance huffed, but went. He did not like the sound or feel of this bridge. Never before had he smelt it so sharply and easily, but rot was rot.

Shiro waited for him to cross completely (and without issue) before starting. His paw came down hard in the middle of the bridge, and the wood under him screeched. Then he was falling, before he could save himself.

Lance shrieked. He flung himself into the water without thinking, much to the increasing dismay of his pride-mates.

Fast, icy water swept him into Shiro, who was struggling against the current. Shiro gasped air into raw lungs as something pulled his head above the water. The same force started pulling him to shore, but couldn't do it alone.

Shiro had almost made land when the other three arrived in a flurry of colour. Massive yellow jaws descended from above, and pulled him clear of the icy water by his scruff.

Red jaws decended, and lifted a chunk of blue from the frothing water, lifting it far easier than Hunk was lifting Shiro.

Shiro was dragged up, coughing and blinded by his sodden mane. He eventually fumbled his way back into the land of the living.

"What happened?" He asked raggedly.

"Bridge gave out. Sorry, I'm used to being the heaviest one." Hunk apologized.

"Everyone else okay?"

"Keith-?"

"He's fine, just let me-" Keith sniffed Lance's side once more, then exhaled over him. Hunk could feel the heat from where he stood. It was blistering.

Lance shivered a moment, then looked up, confused. He accepted the first few moments of grooming with quiet patience. "He okay?" He finally fumbled out between licks. "Why's it so cold?"

"Glacial river." Pidge explained, leaning into Shiro. "Ice water. And yes, your stupidity gave him a chance to surface."

"Good." Lance hummed, but was smacked out of it by a yellow paw. "Ow-! What the hell!"

"You nearly died, Lance!" Hunk was teary-eyed. "You need to think before you do things! If Keith couldn't do what he can, you'd be dead right now! You should be dead! Diving in after should have cost you as high as they come!"

Rebuffed, Lance cowered. "I'm a Level 12 swimmer, though..."

"In human shape. When you're the same size as most humans, and only ever trying to lift most humans from the water." Hunk snapped in return. "In case you hadn't noticed, we're a lot bigger than you are. You're just a baby right now. You're still learning to walk-"

"…Hunk, yes." Shiro interrupted gently. "You're right. You do have to be careful, Lance. However, it's still his first night." He had to pause, and shiver. "Give him time to remember, and get used to his new shape."

"Yes, Shiro." Hunk looked properly scolded.

Shiro grinned weakly. Then went back to shivering. Lance protested being lifted by his scruff - again - and glared out from Hunk's care when he was placed in it.

"Do you understand what we're saying, Lance?" Shiro asked. Keith set into drying him as well.

"I can take care of myself."

"Just make sure that care remembers you're small right now, and everyone will be happy." Shiro let himself be groomed back to normal temperatures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry new year! May things only go up from here! *knocks vigourously on wood*


	6. And I set fiiiiiiiiiiire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nother short one bc why nut

Lance was small and clumsy, but he would not be outmatched at firewood gathering too. He grabbed and dragged and pulled with all his might, and eventually got a small tree back to the clearing. Pidge had made a circle of rock around a small pit.

And Hunk had actually brought a tree. A sizeable one. He was in the process of breaking it down for firewood when Lance finally got back.

"Lance, that's green wood." Pidge cocked a brow.

"No, it's kinda light tannish brown."

"No it was still alive you dingus."

"Then you get firewood." Lance flopped down with his tree. He'd done good in his opinion.

"Don't worry." Hunk chuckled weakly. "This'll last the night, if we're careful."

"Lance, don't chew that sapling," Keith stated around a mouthful of mane.

"You're not my real mom!" He grasped it firmly.

"Could your mom tell you that's Red Elm, and will leave your mouth full of Blisters?"

"You're talking, but All I hear is 'please Lance shove that stick up my ass as far as it goes'!"

"… It's not big enough for that." Keith pulled away, and loped over. Lance kept a firm hold on his tree, and it very quickly dissolved into a game of tug-of-war.

Hunk just shook his head, and wandered off. Pidge began arranging wood in the pit, careful to use as little as possible.

Shiro watched them play patiently. Both would regret this; Keith was usually right about his trees.

Pidge stopped the fight when they finished stacking wood. "Hey, hotshot! You're important and we need you over here!"

"Lil'busy!" He growled through clamped teeth. Lance growled back, tugging sharply.

"Lance, come on." Shiro stood. "Our big paws cant exactly strike a match, so we need Keith to start a fire, in order to get some dinner in ourselves."

"I am just now realizing I am starving." Lance released the stick once he felt Keith jerk it back. The larger lion stumbled back a few steps.

"I've decided, Shiro." Keith spat out the stick. "I'm setting fire to the entire forest, best start running now."

"Again?" Shiro sighed.

"Yes. Your head-start is running out."

"Or you could just not be a baby about babysitting the baby." Pidge suggested.

"Times up. Here goes the whole mountain." Lance blinked when he inhaled deeply, and startled when he breathed raw, sweltering flames.

[ ](http://oi63.tinypic.com/34j92tc.jpg)

He scurried behind Shiro's protective girth. Shiro just stood by and watched. He didn't bother trying to run. Keith looked frustrated by Shiro's unaffected stare, but his flames did taper off. He was left breathing slowly and deeply, the fire lit, and not much else.

"Feel better, bro?" Shiro smirked.

"No. I'm going to go light the field on fire for Hunk." He stalked away. Shiro smiled softly at the two youngest as he left.

"What the fuck was that?" Lance peeked out with deep concern. Pidge snorted, enjoying his tangible worry. Shiro was happy to explain.

"Keith is a witch, Lance. Every witch has a connection to the elements, usually one above the others. Keith is particularly skilled at fire magic, and he chose to augment himself so that he would never need matches.

"He could use his paws or hands, easy-peasy, but he's also a drama queen at heart." He shifted slightly, centring his forepaw better. "So if he just breathes fire at random, don't be too surprised."

"And Ma says I'm bad." Lance frowned. It drew a fresh chuckle from Shiro.


	7. this was supposed to go up yesterday thanks wifi

"So we can't eat raw meat?" Lance asked.

"Well we can, if pressed." Hunk explained. "Our bodies are feline enough to kill off any bacteria from raw flesh. But it disrupts our mental capacity. And if there's any of the meat or bacteria left when we shift back, we can get really sick."

"Experience?"

"Mm. So now we cook it, even if it's harder without thumbs."

"Okay." Lance took Hunk's word for it.

"You can chew on one of the bones, if you like. It'll help strengthen your jaw."

"Just don't eat the meat."

Keith watched sourly from the far side of the fire. Shiro sighed silently.

"You okay?" He asked quietly, while Lance fought Pidge for a longish bone.

"Smug little dickhead." He grumbled.

"He's learning. He's a lot like you, actually." He smiled. "A different side of the same coin."

"I don't see it."

"You trust who you trust, hide some insecurities behind flair and aggression." Boy did Shiro look smug. "It's like watching you grow again, just this time I can enjoy it."

"Wow." Keith huffed. He'd have found a different spot to curl next to the fire, but that would require moving closer to Lance.

The youngest lion bounced around while the mountain goat roasted. They were careful to ensure he got first dibs, as he hadn't eaten since much earlier. Hadn't eaten much at all, actually, in the last month.

Once sated, he dozed off almost alarmingly fast, before he'd even really cleaned the warm grease from his muzzle.

* * *

Lance woke the next morning to find Keith in the heart of the fire. He didn't panic. He just raised the alarm. The others sat up briefly, blinking into the unusually healthy flames.

"Keith." Shiro stated as the others yawned, and lowered their heads again. An ear flicked towards him. "You're hogging the fire again."

Keith grunted, and stretched. He eventually padded out of the fire, flopping back down amidst the others. He was hot, and he drew his fellow felines like flies to honey. A mound of sleepy, colourful lions, comfortable with one another.

Lance stared, very awake.

He felt his hands tighten around the dirt. Paws. They were paws. He had paws and claws and a tail, and it was suddenly too much to bear.

The others were too sleepy to notice. His tiny paws were quiet as it was, as he darted across dirt and through underbrush. He was crying, though active sobs were reserved for when he wasn't gasping air to power his mad dash.

He broke free of the forest, and high-tailed it through the tall grass of the mountainside plain. He wasn't too sure where he was going. There was too much water in his eyes to see clearly.

He eventually found a rock, or maybe it was a root, or branch, and was sent tumbling forward. He was content to lay there, weeping under his paws.

He missed his mother. He missed his family. There was no one to hold him, and kiss him, and sing him Spanish lullabies until the world righted itself.

He was a sham and a monster. The comfortable, familiar humanity he'd known was gone. He couldn't be cured, as a lycanthrope.

"Why am I always such a disgrace?" He asked the grass around him. "Mama didn't raise me to be a disaster."

"You aren't a disaster." A calm voice broke the silence, startling him badly. Keith, in all his very nude, very human glory, sat nearby. His face was emotionless. "And you're not a disgrace, I guess. You could still be one, if you wanted? There's lots of ways to disgrace yourself. What I'm trying to say-

"I'm fucking this up. Sure, cat-monsters is a thing. But it-" Keith stopped again. "It doesn't invalidate us, is what Shiro told me when this first started? We're still human. You're still Lance. I'm still Keith. We're still us. It's just skin deep, being a lion is."

"But I don't feel right." Lance grumbled against the soil.

"You won't. Not for a while." Keith shrugged apologetically. "The bane goes a long way towards that though. You're lucky it works as well as it does now?"

"Don't feel lucky."

"It is pretty shitty," he considered, then flopped onto the ground. "Really, really shitty."

"Shitty enough you need to try and burn yourself in a campfire?"

"I was cold, and I'm still cold." Keith defended himself.

"Then put on pants. We're roughing it through the woods, not buffing it through the woods."

Keith's stoic expression softened. His smile was bright and warm, and it made Lance's heart wobble. He swore the other giggled softly, trying to muffle it under a hand that hid the smile.

"Sorry. I left my shift beside my hut."

"I suppose we're all naked a lot?"

"Mm. Unfortunate side-effect."

"You can't witch clothes to change too?"

"Tried. Doesn't work well. Or at all, in some cases." Keith flicked a bug off his chest. "Shiro has a prosthetic. But it's metal. I don't know enough about ground magic to help him keep it with him."

"So he just has to limp? That sucks. Explains why he's so svelte, though."

"Nah, that's the army. And other things. It's the reason he's a dorito." Keith flicked an ant off his chest. Silence fell between them, warm and comfortable.


	8. Lions gaLore

Keith eventually reverted back to furry and pawed, standing reluctantly. When Lance stared up at him questioningly, he rolled his shoulders in what might have been a shrug.

“The others are going to notice we’re missing soon.” He stated. Lance picked himself up off the dirt at that. Hunk was definitely already worried. Keith leaned over him to grasp his scruff, only to get a dusty paw to the nose. “What?”

“Don’t try to carry me.” Lance insisted. “Please.”

“It’s a long way back.” Keith argued.

“That’s fine.” Lance pulled away, and made to pad in the direction he thought the others were in. Keith followed with another rolling shrug, unperturbed at the notion.

He’d run quite a way up the mountain, right past the tree line. Had he not been so small, he’d have suffered a lot of cuts and welts from his run. He’d gone directly through the underbrush. Keith led him more sedately once he’d been thrown off his own trail.

The others were awake, but not very active yet. Hunk was cleaning his paws, slow and purposeful. Pidge and Shiro were huddled together, exchanging soft words with one another.

Lance had no issues padding right up to Hunk, and flopping down between his forelegs. His tongue switched from paw to Lance automatically. Shrio looked up when Keith flopped down beside him.

“Everything alright?”

“Mm.” Keith nodded.

“Good.” Shiro hummed. Pidge tried to use his distraction to escape, but was scooped up for cleaning as well. It would be far too easy to escape the one-armed lion’s grasp, but they accepted capture gracefully enough. The clearing fell silent as they tidied their youngest.

Once Hunk deemed Lance clean enough, he returned to his paws, though Lance continued to languish between his forelegs. “So anyways. Once we’re back, I want you to look over the field deviation in the couplings. I’m worried I’ve been staring at the external adapter too long. Fresh eyes and all that.”

“Only if you bring peace offerings.” Pidge drawled. “How’s the intermittent modulation holding up?”

“I had to disconnect it to get to the rear couplings. I’ll put it all back together, though.” Hunk deemed his paw clean, and switched to the other. “Can I put chocolate chips in this time? I have some real nice ones that you might like.”

“If you have the goods, I want the goods.” Pidge made a grabby motion with their paws. Hunk chuckled softly, nodding.

“Then the goods I’ll provide.”

“Yes!” Pidge sounded way too happy.

“Also, remind me to reset the flux capacity. I turned it up a few days back.” He finally finished his cleaning. “Also, hi Lance.”

“16 years we’ve been married, and you all but ignore me to technobabble. Hurt. Wounded, and hurt.” Lance teased. His paws looked so small, way too small against Hunk’s muzzle, but if he stopped kick-pushing his jaw so abruptly, he’d notice. Hunk purred in response.

“I’ve been dismantling toasters and phones for weeks,” He admitted. “Stress baking wasn’t cutting it. I’m sorry.”

“Nah man, don’t apologize.” Lance shifted to hug him. “Unless you totaled my gameboy. If you’ve totaled my gameboy, again, our squish is over.”

Hunk laughed weakly. “I’m banned from tampering with major appliances in two households now.”

“Oh, that’s fine. Mama forgives after a 6 month period on the first offense.” He shrugged. “So other than destruction of household items, what have I missed?”

“Your mother. She is a very, very scary woman, Lance, what the heck?”

“She’s just protective of me.” He considered, then scrambled his way up onto Hunk’s head, relaxing between his ears. “Flipped over Desert mountain?”

“Bare handed, then made the whole block scour the remains.” Hunk nodded slowly. Kept trying to run off, see if Keith had seen anything. But she was very adamant that the little ones stay within sight at all times.”

“And then, once you were home, it was baking, breaking, and quaking.”

“And sleeping between anxiety attacks. Yep.” Hunk confirmed.

“You poor hunk of burning love. I’m okay now, though. You can relax, and start fixing your destruction.”

“I’m glad for that.” He considered, then tipped his head over so that Lance landed between his paws again. He hugged him tightly, ignoring protest for a good, long minute. Lance was okay.

* * *

There was a secondary cave just below the peak. Lance had to be carried up the last half mile, as he couldn’t leap high enough to clear the boulders. He pouted the entire time, even though Pidge also had to be assisted once or twice.

He was set down once they made it to the level the cave sat at. His complaining over the constant carrying was unanswered, as Hunk, Keith and Shiro bounded back down to perform varying tasks.

Pidge frowned as they left. “My turn to babysit, I suppose. I’ll have you know, my only qualification for being a babysitter is that I once was a baby. Don’t pull funny shit. I am not old enough to claim responsibility for shoving you off a cliff.”

Lance cocked a brow. He carefully edged a few extra steps from the ledge, before asking “how long does it take to not be small?”

“Depends. From the gathered data, I can reasonably assume your lion form grows to match the human form. How long it takes seems to be up for debate.”

“But how long though?” Lance demanded.

“I’m 4 months and still not evened out. Hunk took six weeks. Shiro took two months. Keith was size for size.” Pidge shrugged. “Fuck if I know.”

“You’re unhelpful.” Lance informed them.

“I strive to be.” They grinned toothily.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im in that super fun part of the fic where things aren't happen yet, but theres still lore to explain. Sorry for the chapts.


	9. Cat (hes a kitty cat)

The day was passed with a lazy cycle of napping, eating, and goofing off. Shiro could be jumped on, but a single claw or tooth would have him crying out in pain at the top of his lungs. Lance genuinely couldn’t tell if he was actually hurting him, or was just being discouraged.

Hunk continued to accept being tackled and chewed, but honestly he was a better nap companion.

Pidge took advantage of his smaller size at every opportunity.

Keith knew he was bigger. He didn’t have to prove it. Every time Lance got too rough with his ears, or tail, or feet, he just dropped a heavy paw on him.

“You should really be discouraging that.” Shiro cocked a brow as Lance wrestled Keith’s fore-paw with vigour.

“You scream bloody murder enough for all of us.” Keith replied. Shiro’s pointed look could not be ignored for long, though. He eventually wrested his paw free, and swatted at Lance when he tried to reengage. He ducked the swat, only to be tackled back into submission by Pidge.

They stayed there until the third night was nearly passed. Lance started when he was roused by powerful jaws clasping about his scruff. “Hunk?”

“We overslept a little. We gotta hurry if we wanna make it down the mountain before moonset.” Hunk explained through a full mouth. He hopped down the ascent at a frighteningly fast pace.

“Why?” He flinched every time he got a little too close to the rocks for comfort.

“I dunno about you, man, but I don’t wanna run around the mountain with my junk hanging out.” Hunk grimaced around his scruff. Lance considered, then shrugged.

“You got nothing to be ashamed of.” He admitted.

“It’s called Public Indecency; it doesn’t matter how good I look.” He was grinning now, at least.

“So where are the rest of us?” Lance finally noticed the decent was being made alone.

“Shiro, Keith and Pidge left early. The bridge broke. Shiro opted to go around.” Hunk suddenly picked up the pace again, racing downhill. “Pidge has to stay with Shiro. Keith is just providing directions.”

“So now we’re running to catch u- watch out for the riv-” Lance squeaked as they landed on the far side of it after a graceful leap. Hunk set him down then, so that he could breathe for a moment.

“And to clear that jump.” Hunk grinned once he’d caught up.

“Nice.” Lance concluded.

“So basically, changing back is the same as changing into.” He began, beginning to pad forward. Lance followed, though he had to jog every few steps to keep pace. “It’s your first time. Don’t be alarmed if you’re not all human. Or if, like, you’re behind schedule.”

“And then I’ll get to go home? Will you go with me? It’ll probably take some explaining to get Mama off my hide.”

“Mn, Lance.” Hunk paused, and he paused as well, confused. “You’re going to be up here for at least another month, man. The first couple months are super rough. Even off-moon.”

“But Keith-”

“Said you could go home if you were _clean_.” He interrupted. “Well, I guess clean isn’t the right term. But for lack of a better term, it’s in everyone’s best interest to keep you quarantined until you’re in full control. As to say, up here, where you can’t hurt anyone, or break anything.” Lance stared up at him with such distress. “I’ll totally tell your mom that you’re okay. Heck, I can even swallow my nerves, and explain the whole mess to her personally, if you want.”

“B-but-”

“It’s not a perfect solution, I know. I don’t wanna do this to you anymore than you wanna go along. But how’d you feel if you accidentally turned one of your siblings? Or, like, your Mom? We’re just trying to protect you, and everyone else, and we don’t have a better way, please stop looking at me like that Lance!”

“But I want to go home!” He insisted.

“Lance-”

“Please, Hunk?” He rubbed up against him, eyes wide and pleading.

“No, no, Lance, I can’t-” He whimpered, but he was breaking.

“C’mon! I’ll come right back up! Just a few hours! You know first-hand that Mama’s worried sick.”

“I- I should- I shouldn’t. It would be terribly irresponsible.”

“Please Hunk?” Big watery eyes were go.

“Nn-” Hunk grimaced, then lifted him gently. His massive jowls held him much more snugly than before. “It’s your fault if something goes wrong.”

Hunk moved incredibly fast, or maybe Lance’s little legs were just short. He bounded over or around every obstacle, before plowing into the clearing surrounding Keith’s house. He cleared half of it in a few bounds. Lance squeaked when they very suddenly came to a grinding halt.

“If what I think is happening is happening, it better not be.” Keith growled. Hunk shied guiltily.

“N-no, I just took a wrong turn?” Hunk set Lance down, backing up a few steps.

“Did we learn nothing from Pidge’s escape?” Hunk cowered from the scolding.

“Lay off, dude.” Lance glared up at Keith. “I’m Hunk’s bad-idea provider.” Keith considered him for a long minute, then nosed him back towards the hut.

“Hunk should know better.”

“He does. I’m just a shitstain who wants his mom. Don’t chew him out for what I coerced him into.” Lance protested. Hunk was following them, though slowly.

“He should know better.” Keith maintained.

“He does.” Lance pouted. “Really.”

Keith stared at him for a long minute, still clearly not impressed. Finally, he sighed. “It’s for everyone’s safety, Lance. Don’t try and run away.”

“Fine.” He huffed. “Just leave Hunk alone.”

“Whatever.” Keith shrugged. “Don’t do it again, big man.”

“Okay.” Hunk would accept that. He hunkered down next to Pidge once they’d regathered. Shiro looked up, confused, then returned to his relaxed semi-nap. The moon was starting to sag above them, nearing the horizon with the last minutes of night.

Keith went first. He shuddered once, then his fur began to retreat. His proportions fixed themselves. He was very quickly a naked human, shivering in the predawn. He stood, and went inside. He returned very shortly with pants, and an armful of blankets.

“I’m going to go light myself on fire.” He emptied the blankets onto Shiro, and retreated back into his hut. There was the sound of fire from inside almost immediately after.

Shiro pulled a blanket around himself, nudging the rest at Pidge and Hunk.

Lance watched as Hunk and Shiro both filtered back to human in moderately smooth transitions. It seemed almost painless. Then Pidge hit.

Their tight, curling whine made his fur stand on end. Growing seemed to be the most painful part, compounded quickly by absorbing the fur and tail. Shiro clucked over them, pulling their small form into the comfort of his chest. It seemed to take forever before the small non-binary was mostly human again, though their ears still peaked out of their hair.

“Shiro?” Pidge asked, peering up at him in a manner that implied glasses were needed.

“Yeah, you have ears again. Just relax, though.” He soothed gently. “We’ll get you whole once you calm down.” They nodded, and snuggled into his embrace. Hunk lifted Lance carefully once they were fully taken care of.

“Relax.” Hunk reminded him gently. “Just relax.”

“I-” Lance was incredibly tense. Even with the familiar girth of his best friend so close. “Hunk-”

“I got you. Um, you know that breathing exercise you make me do when I’m about to panic all over the floor?”

“Yeah?”

“Go for it.” He encouraged. “11 out, 7 in, 5 hold.”

“I’ll try.” Lance snuggled deeper into his hold, closing his eyes, and steadying his breathing.

Hunk watched patiently, counting along slowly. It wasn’t until the moon had completely vacated the sky that he felt the first prickles. It felt like the tide crashing out, after being held in for far too long. Like sitting, cramped in the centre seat, and finally escaping to stretch.

And stretch he did. He whimpered, slightly, as he did. But then he was a gangly teen again. A gangy, naked teen sprawled very openly across Hunk’s lap.

“What-?”

“That was fast.” Hunk grinned, hugging him snugly.

“Am I-?” He immediately began feeling down himself. Human ears, no muzzle, hands (Honest to god _hands_ ) and a lack of tail. No lick of fur remained, no claw or whisker. The scar was still there, and his teeth were a little sharp and large, but otherwise he was exactly as he had been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And then he was not a kittycat *sadest teir* I cri effry tiem


	10. Dome

Lance was presented with a choice. Most of them were sub-par. Clothes that were too big, or small, or just falling apart. Or he could just go sit in the field naked, like Hunk did, and just bring a blanket.

But his turning was far more common than the rest's.

Keith stood in the doorway, holding the lamp steady. "Try and choose quick – too much light is bad for the plants."

"I'm trying, but other than that one pair of sweats, nothing in here fits even close!"

"It just has to last out 28 days," Keith explained yet again. "You don't want to tear free of your entire personal wardrobe, do you?"

"I'm still shrinking, though."

"Not for long. Pidge's only small as they are because they're younger than us. You’re going to grow, and fast." Keith was getting increasingly exasperated.

"Oh." Lance scratched the back of his neck, the just picked one of the bulky tanks, and some shorts that were definitely Hunk's. He fished around, and found a belt. He'd survive not being a fashion icon for a few days.

He ignored the way Keith inspected him.

"If you feel yourself start to change, loose the belt asap." He stated. "If you have time, strip completely."

"You just wanna see me naked." Lance teased through red cheeks.

"I just did."

"And now that you got a taste of me?" Lance wiggled his hips.

"I'm secure enough in my homosexuality to admit you have a body. But no, I'm telling you because ripping out of clothes is wasteful, and it hurts." Keith cocked a brow. "There's an axe in the side of the building. Quarter the logs, and bring in a dozen."

"A dozen logs or a dozen quarters?"

"Whenever you get tired, as long as you have a dozen something." Keith wandered out of the room, leaving Lance to the dark.

He was outside soon enough, an axe in hand. He regretted not having shoes, but his feet didn't find anything sharp. So long as he kept the axe steady, he'd be okay.

Most of the wood was old and dry – easy chopping. He had enough for Keith before sundown.

The exercise made his arms burn, and his back ache, but in the good way. He set the axe back in it's place, and started to carry the wood inside.

Keith was seated over a small bubbling pot. Whatever he was brewing smelt terrible. He was chanting over it, and the flames below the pot danced and twisted in time. He felt the need to be very quiet, or not in the room at all.

He stacked wood outside the door instead, and sat to wait until the chanting dropped off.

Keith came out to look for him soon after. "Wood?"

"Wasn't sure where you wanted it." Lance jabbed his thumb at the logs. Keith nodded, and waved him in. It was pretty obvious where it was meant to go, but he appreciated the lack of interruptions to his casting.

"With the others, best you can." Keith indicated the pile. “As long as it doesn’t fall, I don’t really care how creative the stacking gets.”

“I accept this challenge.” Lance grinned at the idea.

He was stacking the highest logs in his home-made tetris when he felt a sudden pressure down his back. Lance frowned, looking around the room. There was no one in there.

He shrugged, and reached up to place another log into place. He had to stand on tiptoe to do so. Lance squawked when the pressure in his back split, and he felt his tail slide into existence. Next thing he knew, he’d accidentally sheathed his claws into the firewood, and was left dangling from the high ledge. His clothes fell to ground without fanfare.

Lance couldn’t really breathe properly, as he dangled by his claws. His feet padded at the wooden wall uselessly.

“Keith-” He started, wondering if the other could even hear him. “Keith, are you- I’m stuck?”

“I need to stop taking naps in the next room apparently.” He emerged, looking tired. “Where are you? What fell?”

“Right here.” He was still clinging for dear life. “Up, sleepy head.” Keith’s brow rose when he saw the other’s predicament. Lance puffed up indignantly when the other broke down laughing. “Keith, a little sympathy!”

“Oh man.” He rubbed an eye. “How’d you manage that? The moon hasn’t even risen yet?”

“... Magic.” Lance excused. “Less laughing, more helping.”

“Okay, okay, come here.” Gentle hands lifted him and the log away from the wall. “If you get hooked again, you just gotta push forward, not pull.” He explained once Lance was on the floor.

“Like- oh. That worked.” Lance shook his paw, then unhooked the other.

“So what happened? Did you shift early and try to climb?”

“No.” He avoided the subject, padding over to the remaining few logs. They were a little too big to fit in his mouth. But damn if he didn’t try.

“Prideful little fuck.” Keith sighed. He scooped up the discarded clothes, and searched for damage while Lance finished his chore.

“I don’t deny it.” He retorted. His muscles were protesting the exercise by the end of it. Lance found himself glaring at the final log.

“You can put that one directly in the fire, if you’d like.” It was a little closer than the wood pile. Lance nodded mildly, curling his paws around the wood. Keith didn’t comment as he dragged it away in a more humanesk fashion. Lance sighed once the fire was stoked with the fresh wood.

“How did it feel to go this time?” Keith asked gently.

“Very fast.” He flexed his little paws in the firelight. They tingled, mildly, from the day’s exercise. The dark pads were dirty, but he resisted grooming them for the moment.

The fire sparked, catching the addition ablaze. Lance stared at it, considering.

Keith watched attentively, as he extended a paw. The heat washed over the furless skin, then through his fur, rising to an almost uncomfortable level very quickly. When Lance closed his eyes, it was almost as though he had a hand again. A stubby fingered hand, with retractable claws, but a hand.

He eventually returned the paw to his side, and just sat in proximity to the blaze. It felt good, he decided. It felt like it always had, even if his skin had changed.

Keith slipped closer to him when he’d fallen asleep. He was exhausted enough that his form hung limp in Keith’s arms. Lance was already a few pounds and inches larger. Keith settled in his cozy chair again, cub in lap.

He dug his fingers into his thick fur with care, stimulating the skin under them. Lance was soon purring as he slept, and was given a good, thorough petting. Every inch of him, from nose tip to tail tip. His tongue escaped his mouth at some point, peeking out between black lion-lips.

By the time he was done, the moon was glimmering down into the room. Lance shivered slightly, as the silvery beams sank into his fur, but he was already turned.

* * *

Lance woke naked, and alone. He quickly fumbled a blanket around himself, peering around blearily. Nothing had really changed, except Keith wasn’t in the chair with him.

He stumbled to his feet. His clothes were folded on a nearby stack of books. His confidence backed up with fabric, he wandered out into the bright day. Keith hadn’t gone far.

“Morning.” He greeted, when Lance appeared behind him.

“Morning.” He agreed.

“So last night-” Keith started, gauging Lance’s expression. He was surprised by the sigh that interrupted him.

“I got spooked by m- a spider. Big fat one.” He lied. “Next thing I know, I’m stuck.”

“I see.” Keith considered. “I was just going to-” He paused, chewing a lip. “Sometimes. When a cub is just starting out. They can feel a little, numb? I guess? What I’m trying to say, is just be careful. I noticed you playing with the fire. Don’t burn yourself or anything.”

“For being the most experienced, you guess a lot.” Lance frowned.

“I usually leave the explaining to Shiro. He’s gooder at it. Better. Whatever.” Keith scratched at his nape, considering the tall grass around them.

“Numbness... That why you were petting me?” Lance opted to ignore the bad engrish.

“Mm.” Keith nodded. He started when a head rested against his thigh. Blue eyes stared up at him, pupils razor thin in the morning light. He looked better with wide pupils, or human ones. He considered, then let his fingers dig into Lance’s hair, soothing his scalp.

Lance sighed openly, relaxing.

Keith found himself smiling as his ears shifted, becoming the rounded lion ears of his other shape. He stroked them easily, earning a deep purr from a human throat.

It stopped abruptly. His hand was removed forcibly. Keith didn’t comment, though.

Lance pulled away, running his hands over his scalp. His ears were downy, kitten soft, peeking through his hair. His ears twitched at a soft sound from the grass around them. Again, at the sound of Keith’s breathing.

“Keith... how do I make them go away?” He asked.

“We’ll show you how next month.” He murmured. “Right now, your body’s trying to get used to the change as much as you are. It’s uncomfortable, as much as you are.”

“Nn, why can’t it be uncomfortable in a human shape?” Lance complained loudly. Keith sighed. At least he wasn’t trying to rip them off like Pidge had. Something about small blessings or maybe mercies?

“Mm.” Keith shrugged mildly. “Just something to keep in mind. Might randomly change shapes throughout the day.”

“This is bullshit.” Lance flopped out on the ground. He flicked away an ant that tried to explore his chest.

“I’ve heard.” He smirked.

Lance whined wordlessly, anguishing in the dirt. Keith watched him patiently for a while, then wandered off shaking his head. When he returned, Lance had settled, and was just watching the clouds skim through the air.

“What were you even doing up here?” Lance asked, when he noticed the other.

“I watch the sunrise.”

“That was hours ago?” Lance frowned.

“I put the rock here because this rock gets the most sunlight in a day.” He explained, tone growing sheepish. “I- um. I like to sit in the sun and doz- Meditate. Meditate is what I do here. Not sleep.”

Lance’s brow rose.

“Well, maybe sometimes I sleep, but it’s not intentional! I don’t ever drag a pillow out here, just so I can sleep the day away under a warm sun. I’ve considered it. But I’ve never actually done it.”

Lance’s brow rose higher.

“I mean, once or twice a pillow ended up out here for reasons I was not directly responsible for, and I may or may not have gotten distracted by said pillow and warm sunlight but-” He paused when Lance started laughing. “Shut up.” He went very, very red.

“Cute.” Lance teased, grinning widely.

“I am forcibly removing you from my mountain.” Keith grabbed his ankle, and began to drag him along. It took the other man far more effort than Lance would’ve suspected to do so considering his lack of resistance.

“You okay there? My little brother can drag me easier than this.” He prodded Keith’s navel with a toe. Keith grunted indignantly. “I thought you dragged me all the way here?”

“You’ve seen me nude. I’m not exactly a body-builder.” Keith scoffed. “It’s easier when I’m a lion.”

Lance chuckled dryly. That was fair.


	11. Ess-cap-pay, funny, spelt just like the word escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content:  
> people who swear  
> People who can t take a fuckin hint  
> Homesick Lance  
> Bad Choices™  
>  ~~Imma put casual racism here bc that prolly counts~~  
>  Casual racism  
> illness/hospital implications

The mountain was massive around them. Lance got bored long before the sun hit its zenith, and found himself wandering up towards the peak on two feet. Keith only asked that he be back before sundown. Lance figured he could manage that.

His shoes were unnecessarily loud as he padded along. Everything was loud, to his feline ears. They flicked and rotated at the slightest noise. He didn’t actually get very far, settling beside a small brook, listening to it bubble at a new sharpness.

He’d been distracted by a stream in a similar fashion a month ago. The other one had fish coursing through it, and a deeper bed of larger rocks. This one was a hand deep at most, made of pebbles no larger than his fist.

He’d sat, playing with the water for hours.

He sat, and played with the water until the sky above started to turn brilliant with the sunset. He stood slowly, and followed the water back down the mountainside, instead of the path.

The path had wound wide of this brook, and Lance soon found out why. A thick cleft split the mountain here too, separating peak from base with a meter-wide ravine. The water dropped away here, vanishing into the dark depths. He watched it fall until footsteps crunched up to him.

“It falls for nearly a mile into an underground cavern and river.” Keith peered over the edge as well.

“You fell in?” Lance asked.

“I would be dead if I had.” Keith chuckled at the very idea.

“Could you show me?” Lance asked.

“Maybe once your body settles out. This time of year, it attracts a lot of spelunkers.”

“Aw.” Lance complained. “How’d you find out?”

“I’ve lived up here three winters, four summers. I know these mountains pretty well.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “Come to escort me back to Hotel Keith?”

“Or to kick you in.” He teased back, nudging him gently. Lance squeaked, grasping a nearby tree. Then he groaned, as his insides twisted in warning. “Lance?”

“Fuck-” He gasped, and stumbled back from the edge of the drop. “I’m fine. Don’t piss yourself for my sake.”

“You’re really sensitive to the moonrise,” Keith frowned. “It usually has a chance to break the horizon before most of us feel it.”

“Ain’t no beating around the bush with Lance McClain.” He chuckled weakly.

“Then stop beating around the bush, and strip while you have time.” Keith grasped his arm gently. “No one comes up this high, usually.”

Lance grimaced at the idea, but obeyed. His shoes slipped off his feet, exposing half-formed paws. He swore lightly in Spanish at the sight of them, and grappled his shirt off.

He crumpled over with a whine when the fabric had made it over his head. When he surfaced again, he was sporting a toothy muzzle. His eyes widened, as his ears flicked around. He could hear talking and footsteps, from somewhere.

Keith saw his reaction, and sprouted his own ears.

“Keep going, I’ll deal with this.” He hissed, digging into his belt pouches. Lance nodded weakly, and began fumbling his pants off.

Keith donned a fake beard and a tattered robe as he moved towards the voices. A large stick made its way into his hand, as he rounded a corner, and dropped his lion features.

“This mountain is closed after sunset.” He announced himself. The hikers – a couple, by the look of them – scoffed at the statement.

“This is a park you fucking hobo.” The man said.

“Yeah, we paid to camp up here!” The woman insisted.

“The campground at the base of the mountain is where camps are to be set up.” Keith growled in return. “I can and will kick you off my property. Especially after dark.”

“You and what army, buddy?” The man stepped forward in challenge, exposing massive muscles when he shrugged out of his jacket. Keith scoffed at the sight.

He was vaguely aware of a mist rising. It probably made him look fairly bad ass as he growled, “This one.” His body shifted silkenly. His beard looked weird on a lion, but it drew screams. The couple fled before him, racing back down the mountain.

He chased them nearly halfway down, only pausing once they’d hit the proper trails of the campsite. He needed more signs, apparently. He roared after them, for good measure.

Lance was trembling, muttering in Spanish as Keith returned.

“Okay?” He asked gently.

“Ah-!” Lance screeched, clawing defensively at the bearded lion. Keith stared down at him as he tried to get it back off his claws. He frowned, noticing the mist start to lessen as Lance calmed down. Returning to the brook. “Wow you look terrible in a beard.”

“It’s a terrible beard.” Keith shrugged, and snapped up Lance’s clothes, and the discarded beard. He lead the way back to the path so he could grab the rest of the garments.

Lance padded after him, picking his way slowly. “What did you do to them?” He asked quietly when he spotted the unfamiliar jacket abandoned on the path.

“Just spooked ‘em.” Keith shrugged. He huffed at the sight of his ripped clothes. They were going to take forever to fix, dammit.

“But, won’t a giant red lion draw attention?”

“The rangers have picked up that I don’t like intruders, and will chase them off. But I wear the beard so I can wander into town without getting called out.” He nosed the fabric into a pile.

“The rangers know you’re a lion?”

“I reported Zarkon, once upon a time. They keep an eye out. How much they believe is up for debate.”

“Oh.” He paused. “Why did changing take so long this time? When it was fast yesterday?”

“Adrenaline.” Keith guessed. “Probably.” He lifted the fabric with his teeth, and continued down the mountain. Lance followed after a moment, shaking his head.

Keith passed him a thick, hard sausage as he sat, human again, and peered at the torn clothes. He was carefully stitching his jeans back into usability when the sound of an engine broke the silence of the mountain.

He sighed, and set his stitching aside. Lance watched as he donned the shorts Lance had been wearing earlier, just in time for a figure in a ranger outfit to appear in the window.

“Kogane, again with the lion thing?” The man complained, leaning against the open door’s frame.

“He was gonna deck me, man.” Keith complained. “Put up more private property signs. Hours. Something! I should be able to run around without some random guy threatening to fight it out.”

“Were you naked again? Anyone would try and fight you – you look like a crazed lunatic sometimes, nude and high on something or another.”

“I’ll fight you too.” He huffed. “And I’m never high. You wound me.”

“Ugh. Fine.” The ranger dragged a hand down his face. 

* * *

The next few days passed in silent monotony. On the first night of the waning half-moon, Keith shook him awake about midnight. Or so he guessed. Lance grumbled lightly as he peered up through the dark.

“Mm?” He asked, confused.

“I’ve gotta run out for some things. I’ll be gone the whole day.” He explained softly. “Don’t be surprised when you wake up to find me gone.”

“Sure?” Lance rubbed at his face, confused. “Why couldn’t this wait for morning? Or yesterday?”

“I’ve just now realized how much shit I need. I’m leaving right now.” Keith paused, then brushed the bangs out of Lance’s eyes. “I know you like to wander around. Can you stay close to the hut today, though?”

“Sure.” He blinked sleepily at the gentle touch.

When Lance woke again, his late-night conversation with Keith was nothing more than a foggy memory. When it did come back, he exploded from the hut as fast as he could get his shoes on. The midmorning sun was hot on his face as he descended. Maybe he wouldn’t go home just yet, but Keith couldn’t stop him from raiding his own billfold, and tracking down a payphone.

He saw no sign of a puma. He had very little trouble going down the mountain, so long as he followed the narrow trails from deer and the sporadic hiker. The campground at the base of the mountain was even easier to transverse, following quiet gravel roads until he reached the gates. The ranger’s station was in the exact place it had been before. He’d used the payphone then too, and though a decade old, his information couldn’t possibly lead him astray.

Except, when he found the booth, the phone was so out of service, nothing remained of it but a retro-yellow square amid the newer national-park-green.

Lance groaned at the fatal flaw in his carefully crafted and foolproof plan. Of course it had been removed. Everyone just used their cells nowadays. He was an idiot.

His next flawlessly arranged, idiot-proofed plan involved slipping into the ranger-station itself, and seeing if they had a landline or courtesy phone he could borrow. Unfortunately, the singular room with two very busy desks was already very occupied.

“What do you _mean_ you haven’t scoured this entire mountain yet?” Lluvia demanded, “I reported my son missing _two months ago_. You should know how many blades of grass are on this mountain! You should know, and be able to tell me, in intricate detail, about every tree on this damned rock!” The rangers were visibly exasperated with the little woman before them.

“Mrs McClain, we understand that you’re upset and worried-”

If you _understood_ , you would be fucking _doing_ something you plump-assed Gringos-!”

“Mrs McClain,” The other ranger finally snapped, “There is no need for that kind of language. We _are_ looking, for your son, and the 40 other sons and daughters who’ve vanished without a trace. He isn’t the only kid out there. Just the most recent.

“So unless you have something else to add, I would highly suggest taking your leave.”

This was bad. Lance froze against the wall of the shack, as his mother exited in a cloud of spanish swears, not ten feet from where he stood. Then he paused, panic melting. Why was he wasting the opportunity?

“Keith asks, she walked past the hut.” He assured himself, and burst out of hiding. “Mama!”

The woman whipped around at his voice, eyes wide. She abandoned her freshly opened vehicle in favour of meeting her son halfway. There was yelling. There was so much yelling. The rangers watched, faces not hiding their relief.

“Lance, Lance, my baby, where have you been?” She finally managed a question. She inspected his face, peppering it in more kisses. “What happened, Lance? Your clothes are a disaster.”

“I know, Mama.” He chewed his lip a moment, considering. “I fell down, and got hurt. But I’m better now. I’m okay.”

“My son, I want the truth,” She squeezed his cheeks. “Goodness gracious, you look exhausted. I’m going to feed you and take you to the hospital, and then you’re going straight to bed.”

“Mama, I love you, and while I’m totally down for food and a nap, I don’t need a hospital.” He was lifted to his feet all the same. “I just want to go home.”

“You will, after you see a doctor. I don’t know what you’ve been living off of – not enough, certainly – but I’m not chancing you having worms or ticks from the woods,” She assured, opening the passenger door for him. “Parasites and infections.”

“I-” He couldn’t really argue with that. Next thing he knew, he was wearing the emergency sweater that stayed in the trunk, and was being carted through the nearest drive-thru. His mother was on the phone with several people the entire queue. By the time he had his food, and was trying to remember his manners in the face of so many delicious, familiar smells, she had set the cell down.

“So Doctor Garcia isn’t in today,” his mother started. He nodded, encouraging her to continue. “But one of her co-workers, Doctor Black, has agreed to look you over.”

“You sound hesitant?” He asked once his mouth was free of his wrap.

“Of course I am, Dr Garcia’s overseen every scratch and cold since I evicted you from my womb. She did the catching!” She stole one of his fries.

“I’m sure this Dr Black will be plenty competent.” He assured gently. “I mean, they don’t exactly give out Doctorates willy-nilly.”

“... I suppose. We can go see him. And then I shall make an appointment with Dr Garcia to double-check his work.” She decided. Lance shrugged. As she wished.

It was just after noon. He had plenty of time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone wondering, Lluvia (Loo-via) is the name I picked for Lance's mom in my Eragon-voltron fic. I still like it (and it hasnt been killed by canon like the Holts' mom) so it has been reused here. ;3


	12. this chappy has been sitting almost ready like 12 years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content:  
> They are in a hospital  
> Needles  
> Other fun hospital stuff

Even though they were expected, it still took 500 million years to get into an examination room. By the time they were called, Lance was starting to get anxious with the impending sunset, though the moon wouldn't rise until closer to midnight. They were eventually called in by a hunched old nurse with enough hair to give Rapunzel a run for her money. The doctor was waiting.

Dr Black was thorough in his examination. He was a bald man with a lumpy head, and a scar over his left eye, disappearing into his cap, and streaking over his lip. He had the same oddly purple eyes as Keith did, just far lighter.

He lingered over the deep scarring on Lance's shin, and again over his slightly sharper canines. He shone little lights in Lance's eyes - watching them contract and dilate, before scribbling something on his stack of papers with a contemplative hum.

"Have you experienced any of the following:" he asked, voice smooth and professional, "excessive itching, muscle, joint or bone aches, excessive tiredness or excessive unexpected hair growth?"

"Sorry doc," he grinned cheekily, "you just described my whole journey through puberty. The only unexpected thing is my lack of awesome beard."

"… Mr McClain, I know I am not your usual physician, but please work with me here." Dr Black sighed.

"I am. As far as I can tell, no bullshit is occurring Doc. Can you cure my lack of beard?"

"That'll resolve itself in a few years." Dr Black scribbled a few more words on his sheet. Lance couldn't read his handwriting. "I'm going to show you some pictures. Tell me the first thing you think, okay?" He pulled out an iPad.

"Inkblots? Really?"

"Full workup includes checking for trauma. Ready?"

"Sure, do your worst."

"No hesitating; first thought, please." Dr Black reminded, pulling up the app that had the images.

The first few were easy. Dog, cat. A butterfly. Someone smoking a joint under fireworks. Psychedelic mind fuck in greys and black.

The last one was a little different. A clip of a night sky, with bright little stars. Lance frowned, not sure what to think, until a sliver of something bright broke the horizon.

He watched, stomach clenched, as the moon rose in high speed.

"I thought so. Sendak, can you prepare a trolley, please." He spoke into the phone, turning the moonlit gif into Lance's care. He didn't seem to notice, so entranced was he.

Dr Black stepped out, spoke with Lance's mother quickly, and returned before Lance could break from the image.

He could be gently guided onto the trolley, and swiftly carted away.

He resumed focus in a small white room with nothing but a cot and a toilet. "What-?"

"Everything is fine, Mr McClain. You're in good hands, I assure you." Dr Black's voice comforted. Lance could almost see him behind a one way mirror window. "Would you be so kind as to tell me how old you are?"

"I'm 18, where's my mom? Why am I in isolation?"

"You're less than 6 months into your Lycanthropy. Give me a number, and I can help you better." The room was darkened, and Lance could see an opening. Was it a window, in the roof? God he hoped not. "In about 2 minutes, the actual moon will rise high enough to fill this room with light. We can do this the hard way, with your mother watching, or we can get some cooperation, and protect everyone involved."

"I don't know," Lance stated tightly, "what you’re talking about."

"1 minute, 48 seconds."

"How do I even know my Mom's there? Maybe you're just bluffing."

"1 minute, 26 seconds."

"Mooooom-" he called, ignoring the counting timer.

"Sweetheart, please. Just work with the doctor."

Her worried, teary voice chilled him. "Fine, fine-! I only remember going once! One month!"

"Thank you." Dr Black sounded pleased. A screen passed over the high window, blocking out the moonlight. "Turn off the recording, Sendak. So your mother says you were on the mountainside for a while. Tell me about that."

"I was staying with a friend who knows a thing or two about this kinda shit." He grumbled, curling as close to the wall as he could. Bitterness at being fooled by a recording filled his stomach. Yellow light spilled across his arms - his eyes were glowing. "They made a potion thing so I don't hurt anyone."

"Is this a permanent cure?"

"I have to keep taking it. I don't know the exact schedule, though." He couldn't recall - Keith had controlled the distribution.

"I see." There was the sound of writing.

He grimaced as the screen above him pulled back again, and moonlight started to fill the room.

"Now, …Lance." Dr Black sounded different, now that his mother was gone. "Or do you have a different name, when your fur is thick?"

"This isn't necessary, you know. I'm perfectly capable of going back up the mountain. Holing myself up until I'm not a danger anymore."

"You will never stop being a danger." Dr Black stated. "You will forever be a threat to your family. Your loved ones. Your friends. Whoever tells you otherwise is a liar."

"I was doing fine on the mountain." The moonlight was about halfway down the wall, now.

"Where there was no one to hurt, and you were being subdued with poisons and sedatives."

"The others do fine." Lance growled.

"There are others?" Was the immediate question.

"Yeah." He paused, realizing maybe he shouldn't.

"What are their names?" Dr Black prompted.

"I don't know. They don't trust me with that yet." He lied. "I just kinda, hey you. With the sexy face. Shake that cute ass over here where I can talk to it."

"Describe them for me. The last thing we want is a breakout on our hands."

"One of them's kinda small. Other four are pretty big. There's an orange one, a tan one, a kind of, grey one. Two browns, one is the small one and one is bigger."

"And their human shapes?"

"Didn't see most of them. The smallest is a black lady though. Massive in human shape. Like, twice the size of herself."

He could feel the light getting closer, and a pair of eyes boring into him from the other side of the viewing window. He scooted a little further into the wall, praying for cloud-cover.

"If she is that small, she must also be quite young. I shall put out an inquiry. In the meantime, try to recall more about your brethren. Or, perhaps, this friend who has pretended to help you?"

"He's the greyish one. He preferred to stay in his feline form. I never got to see his human one." The moon had reached the edge of the cot now.

"Interesting." There was a long pause, as Lance watched the moon creep steadily closer.

He forced himself to relax as it became apparent he wasn't getting anymore shelter from the light. The hospital gown - when had he changed into that?? He didn't remember??? - was untied, held on with snaps alone.

"What are you doing, Lance? Please keep your clothes on."

"No thanks." He slid forward into the light, accepting that this was happening. His stomach churned, and his skin crawled. It wasn't a complete transformation, but he had soft paws for feet and hands. Fur instead of skin. A freakish mess of human and lion.

He grimaced over the incomplete feeling.

“So what are you going to do with me, doc?” He was a freak of nature, so obviously it was either the circus side-show or a vivisection for him, if media proved correct.

“Well, first we’re going to sedate you.” The doctor appeared beside him, spooking the ever-loving crap out of him. There was a needle in his hand, and his eyes glowed with a lion’s light. “And then we’re going to _fix_ you.”

“The operation table is ready, Lord Zarkon.” A woman’s voice called from the door.

He’d fucked up.


	13. Untold Stories of the ER

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just remembered that the 2nd season. I have to make even fewer OCs now :3c

"Tía Lluvia, good morning." Hunk was in her kitchen, making breakfast for her and her brood. "I was wondering if I could fix what I broke last week."

"Are you feeling better, dear? The washer is barely functioning after your last round with it." She set the tea and coffee to start, and pulled out sippy-cups for the juice Hunk passed her.

"Yeah." He summarized.

"You're hiding something, dear." She picked up on it immediately.

"But the eggs are done?" He tried, only to receive a look that neither of his mothers had mastered. "Alright, alright, okay."

"I know you're anxious dear. I'll try and hear you out before getting upset." She promised, passing him a plate for the eggs.

"I appreciate that. So the good news is, I found Lance," he paused to let that sink in. "He's doing fine. Except he's... sick? Kinda? He's getting treatment from a specialist, but he can't come home until he's sure he won't pass it on. I'm mincing the details because he wants to talk to you about this himself. I'm just here to tell you he's safe? I won't tell you not to worry or whatever 'cause you and I both know that's not going to happen but you don't have to, like, panic either?" He faltered as her expression hardened. And it softening a moment later did nothing to quell his fears.

"Hunk, you're a good boy," she started, "but it's okay. You don't have to lie to make me feel better."

"But-"

"Uh-uh, let me finish." She interrupted him immediately. "I found Lance yesterday, Hunk. I didn't announce it, because he's been hospitalized while they check him down for bugs. I figured you would run in and cause a ruckus trying to see him."

"You're not wrong. Where did you find him?"

"Down at the ranger station! Came sauntering out of the woods like he'd been waiting! Poor thing's already skinny like his father, but he was just hollow looking! Nothing but ribs, I tell you!"

"H-he was alone?"

"But of course. It would be a much bigger event if he'd somehow uncovered all the other missing and brought them home too."

"I- i me- there- ... the hospital visiting hours start at 9?"

"And Dr García has an appointment to see him at noon, so don't be starting anything that won't be done before then." She took over the stove as he hastened out the back door - her husband really needed to remember to lock that - and finished breakfast alone.

About half an hour later, the doorbell rang through the house. Redressing excitable 4 year olds took both her hands, so her husband was given the task instead.

"Oh, Dr García, good morning," Mortimer greeted. "How can I help you?"

"The hospital called, said my 12pm was cancelled due to Lance being discharged." Dr García was an older woman, with buzzed grey curls, and a strength of posture 25 years younger than she was. "I trust Lluvia still wants him looked over, though?"

Mortimer frowned at that. "Lulu, come down please!" He called for his wife. "We don't have Lance yet. We were just going to visit."

"Really? Hold on, let me call Elise." She turned away to call, even as Lluvia appeared, burdened with twins.

"Yes Morty?" She succeeded in dropping the wigglier of the two, and Oliver bounced right back up. He didn't get out of the house in his pant-less state, his father was too fast and experienced.

"Just a sec, she's double checking. Olli, you have to wear clothes, son."

"But they're itchy!" He protested. "I don't like them!"

"You can choose which one, but you have to choose." He toted the child back upstairs.

"Mama, if Oliver's naked I wanna be naked too." Molly piped up from her mother's elbow.

"Oliver's going to go find clothes. Go help if you'd like."

"Yes Mama." She wiggled down and scampered away.

"Ryner? What are you doing here? Is everything alright?" Lluvia joined the woman on the front stoop.

"Your boy was discharged at some point after midnight. The record states that you picked him up," she hung up her phone. "That you signed off on it."

"Well that's not right."

"Apparently not."

* * *

"This one is most sorry, Hunk." Shay tapped her nails on the desk. "Your Lance is not in the system."

"His mom said he'd be here... is... oh, what’s her name... Dr Ryner García in?"

"Let this one look... mm, it is not appearing so. She will be arriving by 1130 am." Shay paused, then tilting her head to look around Hunk. "Or she is arriving 2.5 hours ahead of schedule with displeased parent in tow."

"With - Tìa! Tìa Lluvia, he's not here-" Hunk broke off from Shay to intercept his honorary aunt.

"We're aware." Dr García bypassed him. "Ms Balmara, put the guards on alert for a Lance McClain. Cuban male, late teens, brown hair blue eyes. Not lockdown, but tell them to be prepared."

"Yes Ma'am!" She flew across her station to the phone. Lluvia hugged Hunk instead of her son, not for the first time since this mess had started.

“We found him once, we can find him again.” Hunk assured softly. “It’s probably just a system error.”

“We can. We can and I hope so.” She agreed.

He stayed with her until Dr García returned with a stack of paper. Only then did he whip out his cell, and call up Shiro.

“Hey Shiro, have you heard from Keith recently?” He asked.

“Nah, he was too busy fucking the legs off me.” It was not Shiro who picked up. He could practically hear Matt’s grin.

“TMI. What if I was Pidge?” Hunk whined. Matt burst out laughing at the very idea. “You could have just scarred your precious younger sibling for life.”

“Pidge knows what we do behind closed doors. Sometimes they complain about it. The small kid brother saw us at the market yesterday, but not since. No, you shut up, one-armed wonder. There’s a Hunk-a-burnin-love on the line. I can’t believe you’re cheating on me.” Sounds of a scuffle filled his ear. Soon after, Shiro spoke, though his voice was filled with sleep.

“Hunk?”

“Seen Keith around?”

“Not since mid-morning yesterday. Why?”

“Someone escaped. Someone got admitted to the hospital. Someone is no longer – was that glass breaking?”

“It was.” Shiro detangled himself from bed, and wandered out into the living room. Keith was halfway through the window, looking very panicked.

“I panicked! I’ll fix the window! I can’t find Lance anywhere! He’s not on the mountain?!”

“He was supposed to be here at the hospital. But he’s not.” Hunk provided again. Shiro considered the phone. “Keith, talk to Hunk. Lemme put on pants.”

Matt was sitting up when Shiro returned. “Did you just confront a break-in with your morning wood swinging around?”

“Go back to bed, s’just Keith.” Shiro kissed his cheek.

“Oh, okay.” Shiro returned to a slightly less panicked Keith with pants. His prosthesis slipped into position easily.

“What’s the situation?”

“Lance escaped while I was restocking, went home, got brought to hospital, but is now missing from the hospital.” Keith summarized. “I asked him to stay put, Shiro!”

“Guys, in Lance’s defence, I think he was just trying to call his parents. It was just coincidence that his mum was at the station at the same time.” Hunk started. He had abandoned the hospital, and was jogging down the road. Vaguely in the direction of the others.

“I asked him to stay in the hut.” Keith pouted.

“He wanted his mom.” Hunk added.

“I understand, Hunk. But still. We need to get him back where everyone’s safe. Do you know who his doctor was?” Shiro interrupted Keith.

“He’s usually under the care of Dr García.” Hunk paused. “But she didn’t seem to know where he was either.”

“Dr... oh, Ryner. Hm. If it wasn’t her on shift, it was probably one of her understudies, or one of the ER specialists. I’ll call Pidge, and we can figure out who processed his intake.”

“I’m closer to the High School than you. I’ll pick them up.” Hunk turned down the appropriate road.


End file.
